Bill Viola facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bill Viola
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Viola in 2009
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| Born | January 25, 1951 |
| Died | July 12, 2024 (aged 73) Long Beach, California, U.S.
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| Education | Syracuse University, Syracuse |
| Known for | Video art Electronic art New media art |
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Notable work
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Reasons for Knocking at an Empty House (1982) |
Bill Viola (born January 25, 1951 – died July 12, 2024) was an American video artist. He was famous for using electronic tools, sound, and images in his art. His works often explored big ideas like birth, death, and what it means to be human.
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Who Was Bill Viola?
Bill Viola grew up in Queens, New York. He also lived in Westbury, New York. When he was a kid, he went to P.S. 20 in Flushing. He was even captain of the TV Squad there!
In 1973, Bill Viola graduated from Syracuse University. He earned a degree in experimental art. He studied in the College of Visual and Performing Arts. This included the Synapse program, which was a cool experimental art group.
What Was His Career Like?
From 1973 to 1980, Viola worked with composer David Tudor. They were part of a new music group called "Rainforest."
From 1974 to 1976, Viola was a technical director in Italy. He worked at Art/tapes/22, a new video studio. There, he met other important video artists like Nam June Paik.
Later, from 1976 to 1983, he was an artist-in-residence in New York. In 1976 and 1977, he traveled to places like the Solomon Islands and Indonesia. He went there to record traditional performances.
In 1977, Bill Viola met Kira Perov in Australia. They later got married. Kira became a very important partner in his work and travels. In 1980, they lived in Japan for a year and a half. They studied Zen Buddhism there. Viola also worked at Sony Corporation's labs during this time.
In 1983, he started teaching advanced video in California. He received a special award called a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1985. In 1995, he represented the United States at a big art show in Italy. For this show, he created Buried Secrets. One of his most famous works, The Greeting, was part of this series. It was a modern take on an old painting.
In 1997, the Whitney Museum of American Art held a huge show of Viola's work. It covered 25 years of his art and traveled around the world.
In 2000, he was chosen to be part of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. In 2002, he finished Going Forth By Day. This was a digital "fresco" (like a wall painting) made with high-definition video.
In 2003, his collection called The Passions was shown. These works were slow-motion videos. They showed strong emotions and were inspired by old Renaissance paintings.
Bill Viola Studio
Bill Viola's art studio is managed by his wife, Kira Perov. She worked with him from 1978. She helped him with his video art and installations. She also documents their projects. All the books and materials from the studio are put together by Kira.
When Did Bill Viola Die?
Bill Viola passed away on July 12, 2024. He was 73 years old. He died at his home in Long Beach, California, from complications of Alzheimer's disease. He left behind his wife, Kira Perov, and his two sons, Blake and Andrei.
What Was His Artwork Like?
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Bill Viola's art often explored big human ideas. These included birth, death, love, and feelings. He was very interested in spiritual traditions. He studied Zen Buddhism, Christian mysticism, and Islamic Sufism. You can often see these ideas in his art.
He also liked to explore dualism. This is the idea that you can't truly understand something unless you know its opposite. For example, his art often showed themes like:
- Life and death
- Light and dark
- Fire and water
- Stressed and calm
- Loud and quiet
Viola's work often looked like paintings. He used very slow motion video. This made viewers look closely at the images. It helped them connect deeply with the meanings in his art.
He started showing strong emotions in his art early on. In 1976, he made The Space Between the Teeth. This video showed himself screaming. He continued this with works like Silent Mountain (2001). This piece showed two actors in great pain.
Viola also used ideas from medieval and classical art. His work Catherine's Room (2001) is similar to a 1393 painting by Andrea di Bartolo. That painting was called St. Catherine of Siena Praying.
Famous Video Art Projects
Bill Viola didn't use a lot of digital editing. One of the most challenging parts of his work was using extreme slow motion. This technique really improved as technology got better.
Reverse Television
Reverse Television (1983) is a 15-minute video. It shows people watching video cameras as if they were televisions.
The Quintet Series
The Quintet Series (2000) is a set of four videos. They show five actors' expressions unfolding in slow motion. This lets you see every tiny detail of their changing feelings.
Collaboration with Nine Inch Nails
In 2000, Viola worked with the rock band Nine Inch Nails. He created videos for their concert tour. These videos mostly showed water. They were meant to fit perfectly with the songs.
An Ocean Without a Shore
In 2007, Viola showed an installation called "Ocean without a Shore." It was named after a quote from a famous writer. The artwork shows people standing in front of a black background. Water seems to pour out of their bodies like waterfalls. Viola said the piece was "about the fragility of life." He meant that the line between life and death is very delicate.
Observance
Observance (2002) might be a response to the September 11 attacks. This artwork shows a few people in a small space. They seem cramped but don't want to leave. One young person comes forward. They look at something with a calm expression. This helps you understand the others. There is something sad and serious in front of them.
The Tristan Project
In 2004, Viola started The Tristan Project. He created video scenes to be shown behind a stage. These videos were for Wagner's opera, Tristan und Isolde. Viola used his extreme slow motion. His videos showed the deeper meaning behind Wagner's story. For example, the first act showed characters washing themselves. Then they plunged into water together. This was a symbol of purification.
The project was first shown in Los Angeles in 2004. Later, it was performed in Paris in 2005. The video parts were also shown in London without the music in 2006.
The Night Journey
In 2005, Bill Viola began working on an art game called The Night Journey. He worked with Tracy Fullerton and a lab at USC. The game is about a person's spiritual journey to understanding. It has been shown at many exhibits around the world.
Bodies of Light
In 2009, Viola had a show called "Bodies of Light" in New York. It included Pneuma (1994). This projection showed changing images. They were meant to make you think of fleeting memories. The show also had pieces from his "Transfiguration" series. These grew from his "Ocean Without a Shore" installation.
Other Projects
In 2004, Viola also worked on a new production of Richard Wagner's opera Tristan und Isolde. He worked with director Peter Sellars. The opera first showed in Paris in 2005. Viola's video work from this project was later shown as LOVE/DEATH The Tristan Project in London.
In 2007, a museum in Spain held an exhibition. Viola's work was shown alongside old art from the museum's collection.
Awards and Honors
Bill Viola received many awards for his amazing art.
- 1984: Polaroid Video Art Award, US
- 1985: Guggenheim Fellowship for Fine Arts, US
- 1987: Maya Deren Award, American Film Institute, US
- 1989: John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Award, US
- 1993: Skowhegan Medal (Video Installation), US
- 1993: Medienkunstpreis, Germany
- 2003: Cultural Leadership Award, American Federal of Arts, US
- 2006: NORD/LB Art Prize, Germany
- 2009: Eugene McDermott Award in the Arts, MIT, US (He received $75,000 and helped creative groups at MIT.)
- 2009: Catalonia International Prize, Spain (This award honors people who make big contributions to human, cultural, and scientific values.)
- 2010: Honorary doctorate from the University of Liège, Belgium
- 2011: Praemium Imperiale, Japan
- 2017: Elected as an Honorary Royal Academician by the Royal Academy of Arts, UK
See also
In Spanish: Bill Viola para niños
- List of video artists
